The course aims at providing a reflective and sistematic understanding of the world we live in, to the extent every professional formed in communication should have. To do this, the course offers an analysis of belief systems and of the thoughts that articulate them in the contemporary world. These systems will be studied through a series of key terms addressed by specific authors that synthesize contemporary debates of special relevance. It is expected that students acquire the following skills: 1. Understanding and use of abstract concepts for the interpretation of contemporary society. 2. Understanding processes and local conflicts in their traditions, socio-historical contexts and beliefs. 3. Ability to interpret a plurality and diversity of contexts and social processes from said concepts and ability to place them in general interpretative frameworks. 4. Ability to establish differences and similarities between diverse frames of interpretation and argumentation. 5. Ability to argue orally and in writing about the course topics.

1. IDEOLOGY AND IDEOLOGIES: The role of ideology in the contemporary world. The right-left political distinction. 2. MODERNITY AND POSTMODERNITY: Continuity or opposition? 3. GLOBALIZATION: Globalization and resistance. 4. DEMOCRACY: What is the current state of democracy? 5. COMMUNITY: The return of the problems of the community and the common. 5. CULTURE: Culture as a scenario of conflict. 6. RELIGION: Relations between religion and public sphere. 7. MEMORY AND HISTORY. Politics of Memory .

The course will be based on introductory lessons by the teacher, a series of required readings including books and short texts, writing essays and presentations in class by groups of students. On each subject, the teacher will give a master lecture. This will be completed with the discussion and comment in class of one or several short texts on the subject, presented by a student or group of students. Each student must deliver two short papers and one final essay, for which the teacher will give the corresponding guidelines throughout the course The student who has done all these works will not have to take a final exam.